These notes, with HAWAII overprinted on the face and the back and with a special brown Treasury seal and brown serial numbers were used from 1942 to 1944 in the Hawaiian Islands, then under threat of Japanese invasion. If the islands had fallen into the hands of the enemy, such notes could be repudiated and would have no value on world markets. The Japanese were scoring great success in the South Pacific at the time.

Citizens of the islands were commanded to exchange all older notes and receive these, which caused many collectible large-size National Bank Notes to be preserved when attention was called to them (although most were indeed redeemed and destroyed). Although the HAWAII overprint notes were distributed as intended, after 1944 large quantities remained in Treasury stocks and were put into general circulation on the mainland.

The stories behind the most fascinating colonial, Confederate, federal, obsolete, and private American notes are in 100 Greatest American Currency Notes. The World War II emergency issue $1 Silver Certificate with "HAWAII" overprint is featured as note No. 65. Order your copy today.